For the week of Sunday, October 31, 2021
Dear Friends,
Recently I had the privilege of attending a luncheon and discussion. sponsored by the School of Theology/Seminary at St. John's University on the topic, "What is the Point of Business? The Role of Profits in a Humane Economy." Dr. Mary Hirschfeld, an Associate Professor of Economics and Theology at Villanova University in Philadelphia, was the featured speaker. Dr. Hirschfeld is also a scholar of the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas.
She borrowed two insights from Aquinas in order to frame her remarks. The first is that the world is ordered to the end purpose of knowing and loving God. Many created things here and now are good in themselves, but money is good only insofar as it nurtures those things. In other words, money is "instrumental," and needs to be evaluated with regard to how it is used. In itself, money is not an ultimate good. It serves a greater purpose--not the other way around.
Second, ultimate human happiness is found in God and amid community. Again, in this regard, money and possessions are means to an end. So when we value people and things primarily with reference to their monetary worth, we invert the right order of things. Smart man that St. Thomas!
So what is business for? Dr. Hirschfeld asked/She explained that products and services are beneficial in and of themselves, enriching the lives of people and communities. The development of skills and talents and allowing others to do the same are also benefits of doing business. Building relationships in shared endeavors with coworkers and, of course, making a living are also positive attributes of doing business. In business, profits are a sign of a successful endeavor, but they are not to be pursued as a final goal.
She concluded her remarks by noting that business, of whatever kind, is an honorable life work, but one that always involves some measure of self-sacrifice for the sake of the common good. This is very much in accord with the teachings of our Catholic Social Tradition.
Surely St. Thomas, living as he did in the 13th Century, could not have imagined the idea of "business" as we now understand it. But his wisdom is enduring, which is why we honor him with the title of "The Angelic Doctor (i.e. teacher)" in our Catholic tradition. In the end, St. Thomas is here doing nothing more than reminding us to keep our priorities straight. This is, I believe, easy to understand, but often very hard to do.
Fr. Mike